608-877-9086 info@three-gaits.org

Volunteer

Make a difference in someone’s life – VOLUNTEER!

Something for Everyone

Lessons are where most Three Gaits volunteers find their bliss, but there are plenty of other opportunities to use your skills or learn new skills to help our students thrive and grow by interacting with horses, volunteers and staff.

How to Become a Volunteer

  • Step One:  Read about the roles and decide how you’d like to get involved. Are you interested in volunteering in the regular therapeutic riding lessons? Are you interested in becoming a board member/fundraising? Would you be willing to help out around the facility? Or does your schedule work best for becoming a “sub” or special events volunteer?
  • Step Two:  Decide how much time you’d be willing to commit to our program. What does your schedule allow?
  • Step Three:  Fill out the Volunteer Application Form to let us know your interests.
  • Step Four: Mail your form to 3741 State Road 138, Stoughton WI 535896
  • Step Five: Email ashley@three-gaits.org to set up a tour, start training and start volunteering.

Here are some roles that help Three Gaits serve students, care for horses and keep up the farm. Which one is for you?

Like people and horses? Lessons are for you!

Special talents welcome: bi-lingual, experience with people who have a disability, kindness and compassion, schedule flexibility, ability to walk for 45 minutes at a time, jog a short distance, and sufficient strength to support a child or adult, and a ready smile! Please commit to one or two lessons for each 6-week lesson term to hone your skills and get to know the students, horses and volunteers on your shift. Many people enjoy volunteer with a friend or family member to share the experience and carpool.

Benefits: Share the students’ successes in achieving their goals, make a new friend, get your steps in, use and expand your horse handling skills 

Main Roles include: 

  • Sidewalker (walk next to the horse to encourage and provide physical support to the rider if needed)
  • Leader (lead the horse in lessons) 
  • Get horses ready for lessons and helping close the barn after lessons 
  • Greeting students and parents/caregivers 

Have experience with horses? Horse and Barn Chores are for you!

Special talents welcome: experience with horses, open heart and head to learn the Three Gaits Way, early riser, weekend and evening availability, ability to lift up to 50 pounds and walk around for an hour or more, tractor driving.
Benefits: Build and use those muscles, be around horses to share or increase your own skills, hang out with horse lovers, be part of a friendly care team to work in pairs, groups or solo.
Main roles include: 

  • Turn-out in the morning, turn-in at night and close the barn replenishing hay and water (yup, 7 days a week, 365 days a year) 
  • Setting up feed and water 
  • Exercise riding to fulfill each horse’s unique exercise “prescription”
  • Assist the horse training team
  • Cleaning stalls 
  • Caring for tack and horse equipment 

Like to fix it and maintain it? Facility Care and Projects are for you!

Special talents welcome: repair and build-it know-how, BYO tools (although we have some), ability to schedule routine work and willingness to respond to rapid requests, comfortable working alone or with a group, ability to identify a problem and propose a solution, experience with tractors, yard equipment and power tools.
Benefits: If your place is in good shape and you like to putter, you can satisfy your need to make it right at Three Gaits! Satisfaction of seeing things improve with all your talents.
Main roles include: 

  • Fence line maintenance 
  • Yard and pasture care: mowing, weed whacking 
  • Repair and building projects of all kinds 
  • Spring and fall spruce up 
  • Indoor and outdoor arena maintenance 

Like working behind-the-scenes? Office and administrative projects are for you! 

Special talents welcome: organizational ability, detailed eye, experience with computers, a yen to improve processes, and knock out routine projects. 

Benefits: Work at home or indoors at Three Gaits, satisfaction that you help make the student experience outstanding!
Main roles include: 

  • Filing 
  • Assisting with volunteer and donor follow-up 
  • Assisting organization of events and projects 
  • Keeping our database current 

and other duties as assigned…..

Because we’re a working farm, we have some unique and important tasks that need you every once in a while. Please consider joining our on-call team for:

  • Trim trees
  • Unload and stack hay bales
  • Have a trailer? Help haul large items
  • Join us on group work days

Committees

As a board-guided organization, we count on talented people to help with strategy, planning and policy development. In addition to an all-volunteer board, we have five committees. Committee members do not need to be Board members. :

  • Program Development Committee (meets monthly)
  • Finance Committee (meets monthly)
  • Development and Sustainability Committee
  • Volunteer Committee (meets monthly)
  • Development and Sustainability Committee (meets quarterly)

So, let’s get started!

Click to complete your Volunteer Application form.

Contact the Volunteer Coordinator, Ashley Haggard, at 608-877-9086 or info@three-gaits.org with any questions about volunteering.